


Sokiai

by slashyrogue



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Admirer Hannibal, Ballerina Will, M/M, Murder Courting, Tumblr Prompt, Will thinks it's beautiful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-08 18:42:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6868921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slashyrogue/pseuds/slashyrogue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based off a Tumblr prompt:<br/>Will is a superlative male ballet dancer; lauded & used to being pampered by those attempting to gain his favor & court him. Hannibal has no problem distinguishing himself from the ordinary groupies--he can afford all the beautiful gifts & can also make Will's "rivals" into art in ways that, Will agrees (and delights in), their dancing never would.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sokiai

“He’s here again,” Bev says when she walked into the dressing room. 

Will smiled, “Again? Usually they go away after I ignore them.”

She laughed, “You mean after you milk ‘em for all they’re worth.”

Will took off his costume with a sigh thinking about seeing his newest persistent admirer again. 

There had been quite a few men and women who thought his dancing beautiful and expected that Will could be wooed with fancy gifts into their beds. 

Not a single one had been able to and if Will had anything to say there never would be. He had no desire to be bought, though it was fun to watch them try. 

He changed and hugged Bev goodbye, heading out the door and seeing Frederick standing against the wall holding a bouquet of roses.

“I thought I told you not to come around anymore, Frederick,” Will sighed, the roses held out to him like an offering he couldn’t help but take. 

“I informed him that continuously bestowing your attentions where they are not wanted is tantamount to stalking,” an accented voice purred, Will suddenly noticing that Frederick was not alone.

A man was standing not far from Chilton: well dressed and smiling, inordinately handsome with reddish brow eyes that seemed to stare through Will almost completely. His hands held nothing but one lily.

"But you coming here isn’t?“ Will joked, stepping forward just as Chilton decided to grab onto his arm. 

"You talk to him but not me!?”, he growled, “I bought you a four thousand dollar watch! I paid your rent for two months! He’s been here two fucking minutes!”

Will pulled back, “I never…”

Frederick’s eyes were wild, manic and Will was suddenly frightened till the arm was gone replaced by the stranger’s soft hold. 

"Frederick, cease this foolishness,“ the man growled, his hand on the same spot a feather light touch that Will relaxed into. 

Fredrick threw the roses down and yelled at the man,“You come to one show and suddenly he’s drooling all over you?!?” his head whipped back to Will, “Fuck you, Will!” his shrill yell made all the people walking through the hallway stare. 

Will shouted, “YOU WISH ASSHOLE!”

Once he was gone, Will realized the stranger still had a hold of him and pulled away, “Thank you, I didn’t…”

The door behind them opened and Bev stuck her head out, “Is crazy gone?" 

Will frowned. "Yeah, he’s…”

The stranger still was watching him with concern, now looking between them but still just standing there with his flower. 

Bev noticed him with a grin. 

"Lose one gain another huh Graham Cracker?“

Will hit her arm, "Bev.”

The man said, “I take it you have an abundance of suitors to fit your needs, Mr. Graham.”

Will felt himself blush but glared, “It’s not a crime.”

The man held out his lily, Will taking it with an icy stare as his savior smiled. “No, it is not a crime to be beautiful and wanted, Will. Nor is it a crime to be able to dance so divinely. I was just assessing my odds.”

Will blushed, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been paid a compliment he actually believed. “Your name?”

The man took Will’s hand and brought his knuckles up for a kiss as he offered, “Dr. Hannibal Lecter.”

Will shivered when Hannibal let him go, his eyes raking down the older man’s form once more as he promised, “I think your odds are pretty good, Dr. Lecter.”

Hannibal bowed, “That is all I can hope for, Will. Good evening.”

He turned and left, plenty of eyes on him as Bev laughed, “You know I’m still standing here, right?” as Will brought the flower to his nose taking a deep whiff. 

Will glared at her, “I do now.”

She clapped him on the shoulder, “He was hot, saved you from crazy and looked like he had some money. So just your type.”

Will shook his head, “It’s not like I’ll see him again.”

Bev grinned, “Sure, Will.”

Hannibal came to every single one of his performances over the rest of the month, even when Will was only in the background and that was more often than not with so many better dancers in their company.

Frederick didn’t show up again, much to Will’s surprise. He’d expected the man to linger a bit longer after his tirade, but maybe Hannibal had scared him off. 

Bev always winked as she left, Hannibal always giving him a gift: a gold bracelet, numerous flower bouquets of all kinds, and most notably a fitting for professionally designed ballet shoes.

Will had read the paper with wide eyes, looking at Hannibal who seemed amused by his surprise. “You got me a fitting with Bedelia Du Maurier.”

Hannibal nodded, “She and I run in the same circles, I had asked what dancers valued the most of all only to be told about the importance of a good pair of shoes,” his hand touched Will’s own.

Will suddenly hugged him, “I…thank you. No one in the company has ever had a pair of her shoes, I’ve never…”

Hannibal’s hold was soft, not too tight but Will almost wished it were. When the man stepped back he was smiling still, “You are quite welcome. May I make a request of you?”

Will frowned, “I guess.”

“Dinner. I would prefer it to be at my home, but there is a restaurant not far from here…”

“Okbah?”

Hannibal nodded, “I am not aware how familiar you are with their cuisine, I have been there several times.”

Will smiled, “It’s not really my kind of place, not really.”

Hannibal frowned, “I see. I would quite like to spend an evening with you, wherever that may be?”

Will blushed, “I don’t know much about you, I…”

“Lunch then? Tomorrow afternoon? In full view of a crowd, if you are worried for your safety.”

Will nodded, “Okay. You can surprise me.”

That was how Will spent his first date with Hannibal, sitting in an outdoor café far enough that they had to take Hannibal’s car though he didn’t have time to change much to Hannibal’s appreciation.

“You honestly like this? I look horrible, I was rehearsing all day for a part I probably won’t even get.”

Hannibal stared across the table at him, bringing a glass up to his lips as his eyes narrowed only to smile again as he asked, “Why would you not?”

Will shrugged, “There’s so many better male leads, I’m not exactly the best,” he put his hand up as Hannibal seemed ready to interrupt, “Despite what you may think. I’ve only been doing it for a few years it takes a long time to get noticed. Francis Dolarhyde is a much better match for it.”

Hannibal’s hand came to Will’s, a soft touch that he was getting used to as their closeness evolved. “You may not believe that you are perfect, Will, but I have seen the others and they all dull compared to your shine.”

Will laughed, “That’s so cheesy,” he grinned, his hand moving to intertwine his fingers with Hannibal’s where they lay.

The older man smiled, “You still seemed to enjoy the compliment.”

Will blushed and looked down, picking up his fork and continuing to eat but not letting go of the hand so warm in his.

The first time it happened Will did not even notice the connection, nor did he notice it the second time either.

Francis Dolarhyde was missing, had been missing for over a week from the company and the police were asking questions as his grandmother seemed determined as ever that there had been foul play.

Will got the part of Romeo just slightly over Matt Brown, who seemed determined as ever to make his life hell when he was made understudy.

Right after his last bow, he saw Hannibal waiting backstage and Will ran to hug him tightly as he said, “I wasn’t sure you were here.”

Hannibal looked at Will frowning, “Why would I not be?”

That was when Will kissed him for the first time, a soft touch that had him sighing as they parted. “I wasn’t sure what this really was, I mean…”

Hannibal touched his cheek, “I only want to see you smile, Will, I would never ask for more.”

Will followed him home that night, the two of them breathless and desperate for touch that they’d denied themselves over the course of the weeks they’d known each other. Their frantic coupling had Will shouting his release, riding Hannibal’s cock as he stroked his own the older man’s groan making him grin as he felt him follow not long after. Will lay in Hannibal’s arms, kissing his chest as he whispered, “I…this is the first time I’ve done this.”

Hannibal’s hand came through his curls, “You are not trying to tell me you are a virgin, I will not fall for such claims.”

Will laughed, turning to smile up at him not moving his cheek from Hannibal’s chest.

“No, it’s the first time I’ve actually dated any of the people who came to give me flowers and…things.”

Hannibal smiled, “You did not deem them so worthy?”

Will smiled back, his hand stroking the soft patch of hair on Hannibal’s chest, “No. I’ve had boyfriends but not since I started dancing really, just quick fucks from guys I picked up in bars. It’s…dancing takes up a lot of my time.”

Hannibal took his hand for a kiss to Will’s fingers, “We both have our vices, I am happy yours is a career and not something worse. I am happy to be second in your life as long as you know you are first in mine.”

Will swallowed, “You don’t know anything about me.”

“As you know nothing of me either.”

Will lifted his head, “Then tell me.”

That was how they spent their first night in bed: talking about themselves, their lives, and the things they enjoyed. He learned that Hannibal enjoyed sketching and played the theremin while Hannibal learned Will had sort of a fascination with dogs though he had none of his own.

“Never?”

Will laughed, “When I was a kid, before my mom left and my dad died. After I got into the company, Dad kind of disowned me. He was determined not have his son be a dancer, it was too ‘faggy’ which made it easier to tell him I was into guys and girls. Then he really hated me.”

Hannibal kissed his cheek, “My parents were murdered when I was quite young, as was my sister. I was raised by my uncle and aunt.”

Will frowned, moving up his body as he stared down at him. “I’m sorry.”

Hannibal smiled, kissing Will. “It is not your fault.”

“I’m still sorry.”

He woke up that morning to breakfast in bed, and when he went to text Bev later the response he got in return made him laugh.

Hannibal smirked, “Something amusing?”

“Bev says she regrets not trying to steal you away that first night. I told her she should look into finding Chilton, he had a thing for her before me.”

He felt Hannibal tense slightly against him but the man just said, “I am sure he would be happy to spoil someone.”

Will grinned, kissing him again, “I only need you.”

It went on like that for another few weeks: Hannibal going to almost every performance of Romeo & Juliet and Will nearly moving into his fancy house unable to be away from him for more than a few days.

When they found Francis’s body, it was more than a month after he had been missing so it should have been hard to determine it was him but there was no mistaking it.

Will had been the one to find him as he walked down the alley towards the backdoor into the stage and stopped short to see what looked like a statue though up close he knew it was just made to seem that way.

Francis’s skin was blue from obviously having been frozen all this time and they’d taken out his eyes, cut into his ears, and cut open his back to make wings as if he was a dragon out of a fairytale. There were lilies coming out of his mouth as well a literal flower dragon. Will had never seen anything more beautiful.

He took out his phone after far too long staring, calling the police and waiting for their arrival as he continued to look at the perfect monster Francis had been made into.

The police questioned him though he couldn’t say much more than he saw. His eyes wet from fear or love he was almost unsure which was true the longer he stared. He called Hannibal and was picked up not long after a strong arm around him as Will leaned close.

“I will take you home.”

Will fell asleep in his arms, safe and warm, and when he woke Hannibal was drawing him.

“I can’t believe he’s dead. I just thought he’d quit, you know? He never really liked it, his grandmother…”

Hannibal kissed his cheek, “He was not meant for dancing.”

“No, he always seemed to be holding something back.”

Hannibal said nothing, kissing Will’s forehead as Will whispered, “It was…”

“Horrible?”

“Beautiful. He was beautiful,” Will confessed, tears in his eyes, “He looked like he was supposed to for the first time.”

Hannibal turned Will onto his back, smiling down at him, “You see so much more than you allow yourself to.”

Will felt tears on his cheeks, “I shouldn’t think that, I really shouldn’t.”

Hannibal kissed him, tender and loving as he pressed his lips against Will’s cheek, eyes, eyes and licked at his tears. “Do not fault yourself for noticing beauty in dark things, Will as we all see the world differently. Closing yours eyes will only make it harder to open them again.”

Will lifted his head up, turning into Hannibal’s arms as he straddled him. “I love you.”

Hannibal smiled, touching his cheek, “I love you very deeply as well. I have never had such glorious months in all of my life.”

They made love slowly, lingering touches where they’d normally spent little time and when Will came he sobbed out again, “Love you,” as Hannibal bit against his ear, “You are mine,” just before he came inside of him.

After Francis, there was more security though Will had finished Romeo and Juliet only to worry now that Matthew would beat him out for Swan Lake.

Which he didn’t seem to have to worry for at all, when Matthew was found in his apartment two weeks before auditions hanging from his ceiling, torn to shreds and sewn back together again his heart on a platter with lilies that Will had to admit were starting to become his favorite flower.

Again Will was the one who found the body, he’d been heading for the other dancer’s home at Matt’s request because he had told Will he needed to see him and promised it was important.

Will was starting to become a suspect, the police said, though he had an alibi in the form of Hannibal who he’d spent the entire night with the evening before waking up in his boyfriend’s arms.

“You do understand, Mr. Graham, where we’re coming from.”

Will nodded, “I was here all night, Hannibal can verify it.”

Hannibal’s hand came in his, “He was.”

Will frowned as the detective nodded at Hannibal, “I just have to be thorough, Dr. Lecter. I’m sorry for your loss, but you know that there is connection. They were both male dancers, from the same company, and some of the top stars from what I’ve been told by Abel Gideon,” he looked at Will, “You could be next.”

That night Will lay in Hannibal’s arms, shivering as he said, “Maybe I need to quit.”

Hannibal kissed his cheek, “I will not allow anything to happen to you.”

Will seemed more than happy at his words, relaxing into sleep as Hannibal’s strong arms came around him.

When the third victim died it was not a dancer, but his director.

Will had been told he could no longer dance the Swan in Swan Lake, Gideon did not think he had the temperament for it. Heartbroken and angry Will had lashed out slapping him only to be suspended for a week for his impertinence.

A mere four days into his suspension, Abel Gideon’s tongue was cut out of his mouth and he was found eyeless like the others filled with lilies with his throat cut quite crudely as if in anger.

Will had already figured out that the killer was Hannibal by then, he’d seen the lilies in his garden prominently taking up a space where he could see little else and he’d remembered the first night where Hannibal had brought him the flower though the final nail hit when he saw Hannibal cutting up one of their meals.

The sight of the man’s hands in blood, the narrow glint in his eyes as he worked, and the soft timbre of his voice when Will asked, “What do you think is beautiful?” made it all stitch together.

“Life, I think life is very beautiful. Though there is much beauty in the darkness of death, the end of someone’s life is the start of a change that elevate them into a kind of new life.”

He had come home from the stage stomping into the room as Hannibal looked up with a frown.

“You are here early.”

“Gideon is giving the part to Tobias. Tobias. He says I can’t be the Swan, he was wrong, he only picked me because Matt is dead and I just…I slapped him. He suspended me.”

Hannibal smiled, “I am sure he was surprised at your outburst.”

Will grinned, “He won’t ever accuse me of having the wrong temperament again.”

He’d rode Hannibal hard that night, rough and digging his nails into his boyfriend’s sides as he hissed, “He’ll regret it, when he realizes what he’s done.”

Hannibal kissed him hard, turning them over as he started to fuck into Will with increased frenzy his teeth in Will’s neck as he growled, “You,” he thrust hard as Will groaned, “Are,” he licked Will’s ear, “Perfect.”

Will came in a rush, crying out and biting at his lips, whispering, “I love you, love you, love you.”

Will had feigned sleep as Hannibal slipped from their bed, watching him leave and smiling as he rolled onto his side only to let his eyes shut again.

Hannibal would fix it.

When the phone call came it was from Bev, her crying voice as she said, “Director Gideon is dead,” making him feel slightly bad that he hadn’t been the one to find the body this time. She had, going to the man’s house only to find him missing pieces. She’d described it to Will with such details that he could almost see it in his mind as her words washed over him.

“That’s awful,” he said finally, trying to sound sincere, “Are they canceling the show?”

She sniffled, “Postponed,” her voice was thick when she asked, “How’s the life of a kept boy?”

Will smiled, looking across the room at Hannibal who was frowning at him with worry, “Fine.”

When he hung up the phone his boyfriend immediately asked, “There’s been another death.”

Will nodded, “Gideon,” he walked over as Hannibal got up to meet him the tight hug he received something he always needed though this time it was purely to feel Hannibal against him not out of sadness.

“I’m sorry, Will. I…I am very sorry.”

Will looked up at him as he asked, “Are you?”

Hannibal’s face ticked just slightly at the question. “What do you mean? Of course I am.”

Will smiled, reaching out to touch his face, “I know, Hannibal,” he kissed his cheek, “I know those lilies anywhere.”

Hannibal tensed in his arms, the arm around Will’s back tightening in response, “I am not sure what you mean.”

“I know,” he repeated, kissing Hannibal’s still lips, “I know.”

Hannibal frowned, “If you do know, what is it that makes you smile?”

Will sighed, his eyes teary, “It was for me. All for me.”

Hannibal’s frown melted into a smile as well, kissing Will’s cheeks one by one, “Yes, mylimasis, it was.”

Will laid his head on Hannibal’s chest, “You’ve been sloppy, though,” he admitted, lifting his head to kiss Hannibal’s neck, “The lilies, the company,” he looked at Hannibal with worry, “If I could figure it out…”

Hannibal kissed him softly, “I have been doing this for a very long time, Will, the lilies were a sentimentality I should not have used I agree with you. But I do not think our alibis will be questioned. After all, you will not be the star of Swan Lake this time around.”

Will grinned, “No. I think I might need to move on. This little company is not enough.”

Hannibal smiled in return, “Bigger and better things?”

Will stood on his tiptoes, twirling in a circle as he fell back with Hannibal catching him easily, “I think,” he shivered as Hannibal kissed his neck, “I might look into sculpting.”

Hannibal stopped, lifting his head up to stare at Will in wonder, “Will…”

Will jumped in his arms and Hannibal kissed him with a growl, carrying his dancer up the stairs just as Will whispered, “Can you think of a good teacher?”

Hannibal whispered, “I think I know the perfect one.”

Will grinned, “Does he teach all different types of medium or just one in particular?” 

Hannibal bit at his neck and growled, “Only live subjects, and it can be very messy.” 

Will sighed as Hannibal licked across his throat, “Good.”


End file.
